


Nelson at the Bat

by bookscape



Category: Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-16
Updated: 2019-08-16
Packaged: 2020-08-11 10:40:33
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 710
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20152279
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bookscape/pseuds/bookscape
Summary: A slight re=rendering of Casey at the Bat, Seaview style.





	Nelson at the Bat

**Nelson at the Bat**

**with apologies to Ernest Lawrence Thayer**

**Admiral Harriman Nelson is able to conjure up the saving machine, idea, move or maneuver to save the day so often, that I couldn't resist this homage to him using the great sports poem, "Casey at the Bat" as my blueprint. This was part of a celebration to pay tribute to the second anniversary of The Subpen, a Voyage writer's group. I tweaked a couple of places to, hopefully, help them sound smoother. **

** The link for a copy of the original follows my efforts. I hope you enjoy this tongue in cheek whimsy. sue **  
  
---  
  
**The  
outlook wasn't brilliant for the _Seaview_ crew that day:**

**The  
score stood one to zero, it was the Republic's turn to play,**

**And  
when the torpedo misfired and the missile did the same,**

**A  
pall-like silence fell upon the players of the 'game.'**

**Some  
of the crewmen seemed to feel a deep despair. The rest**

**Clung  
to that hope which springs eternal in the human breast;**

**They  
thought, "If only the command crew could get a whack at that--**

**We'd  
put up even money now, with all of them at bat."**

**But  
plant men were in the corridor, an alien in the tank, **

**The  
former were all mayhem, while the latter was totally rank;**

**So  
upon the stricken crew grim melancholy sat; **

**Seemed  
but very little chance of Nelson getting to the 'bat.'**

**But  
the plant men hated cold, to the wonderment of all, **

**And  
the alien, much despised, became a spot upon the wall; **

**And  
when the dust had lifted and the men saw what was going on,**

**There  
was Crane with an extinguisher and Morton with a gun.**

**Then  
from one hundred throats and more there rose a happy yell; **

**It  
rumbled through the hallways, it rattled in the sail; **

**It  
echoed in dark corners and continued in the bright,**

**For  
Nelson, mighty Nelson was advancing to the fight.**

**There  
was ease in Nelson's manner as he stepped into his place; **

**There  
was pride in Nelson's bearing and a smile lit Nelson's face.**

**And  
when, responding to the accolades, he slightly raised his hand,**

**No  
stranger in the boat would doubt 'twas Nelson in command.**

**Two-dozen  
eyes were upon him as he walked into the conn.**

**One  
dozen tongues stilled quickly as he saw the course they were on.**

**Then  
while the churning waters roiled everywhere around the ship,**

**Defiance  
flashed in Nelson's eyes; a knowing smile curled on his lip.**

**And  
now the shout of "Torpedo from starboard" came from the sonar  
man,**

**Crane  
quickly called a course change and spoiled the enemy's plan.**

**Nelson  
stood in wary thought, his manner distant but serene,**

**Unheeding  
of the sudden moves, he knew his men were keen.**

**From a  
seaman came a murmur, from another a dismal groan,**

**Like  
the beating of the storm-waves and the churning of the foam,**

**"Send  
one down their sorry throats," muttered someone from nearby**

**And  
it's likely they'd have all complained, had not Nelson raised his eye.**

**With a  
smile of Christian charity Admiral Nelson's visage shone; **

**He  
stilled the rising tumult; he bade the boat continue on,**

**He  
signaled to his exec and consulted with the 'Old Man'**

**He  
listened to the seaman as the warnings came again.**

**The  
captain and the exec steered clear of another deadly threat,**

**While  
Nelson calmly faced the men and said, "They haven't got us  
yet."**

**"I  
have the answer, it's all up here," he said, pointing to his head.**

**"We  
only need some tools, some wire, some gizmos and some lead."**

**The  
smile had fled from Nelson's lip, his eyes a determined blue,**

**He  
drew it up, his saving plan, while men rushed his orders to do.**

**The  
tools arrived, the wire and lead; everything was in the conn.**

**Nelson  
worked and sweated, Morton at his side, while _Seaview_ carried on.**

**"Here  
comes another one," a seaman cried. "This one's going to be  
real close."**

**Nelson  
pointed his device, aimed and fired to something just beyond the  
nose....**

**And  
somewhere men are laughing, and little children shout,**

**But  
there's no joy in the Republic, mighty Nelson didn't strike out!**

**"Casey at the Bat": <http://www.baseball-almanac.com/poetry/po_case.shtml>**


End file.
